Riemer Roukema - The foolishness of the message about the cross (1 Cor. 1:18-25): consent and embarrassment

When in the first centuries C.E. Christian leaders read Paul’s words about the foolishness of the message about the cross and his criticism of the wisdom of the world (Cor. 1:18-25), some reacted to it with consent but others with embarrassment. Tertullian and later, fourth-century leaders such as John Chrysostom, had affinity with Paul’s words. In the second and third centuries however, several readers, such as the Valentinians, Clement of Alexandria, and Origen, thought it difficult to accept that Paul seemed to oppose the Christian message to Greek wisdom in general. This paper investigates which strategies they employed to interpret Paul’s provoking passage and to make it acceptable.